Spring wheel



May 8, 1945. J. STARNENO,

SPRING WHEEL Filed June 16, 1942 embodying this invention;

Patented May 8, 1945 i i i UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE,

This inventionrelates to an improvement in spring wheels, ofthe character used for automobiles or other motor vehicles to provide the during transportation.

Spring wheelswhich have been proposed heretofore. have been objectionable for several reasons, such as insuificient. "resiliency, insecure desired resiliency in the support of such vehicle Fig. 7 is a vertical section showing a modified springassembly. i The wheel illustrated in the drawing, as an example of invention, is of the. usual cone 1 struction, inasmuch as it comprises a huh I, and

arim 2, which are shown of conventional form,

. although the rim I is illustrated as having a solid mounting of the springs on the hub and rim, im-

practical assembly of the parts of the wheel, making it difllcult of manufacture, and in some instances requiring the use of bumpers or other rigid connections between the rim and hub.

The object of this invention is to improve the construction of such a resilient wheel andto make it commercially practical to manufacture and use, while providing the desired resiliency in the wheel with secure connection of the springs to the hub and rim in a manner which enables them to be assembled conveniently and readily.

In carrying out this object, I may utilize acon- Ventional form of hub and rim, but connected together through coiledsprings which form the connection thereb'etweem. without any sole bumpers or other rigid connections, the springs providing the desired resiliency in the wheel, and

being under compression, they hold the parts adequately spaced from each! other without danger of breaking the springs, and keeping the convolutions spaced apart suificiently so that the springs are not compressed at any time to an extent where they presentra solid abutment be-.

tween the hub and rim. Ihe opposite ends of the springs are connected respectively withthe hub and rim, through attachmentswhich secure these ends rigidlyin place, and whichare practi'cal for assembly in manufacture ofthe wheels Without danger of the springs pulling loose from either the hub or the rim. In fact, eachend of the spring is anchored so securely thatit cannot be pulled out withoutxdisconnection of the cou;

pling. i

The invention'is shown in different embodimerits in the accompanying drawing, in which: 1

Fig. 1 is a side elevation o Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional ,view

through; 9 X Q U M Fig. 3' is an enlarged vertical sectionthrough a portion of the wheel showing aspring assembly;

Fig. 4 is a detail 'verticalflsection showing a modified form of springconnection with .therim;

Figs. 5 ancl. 6' are similar views showinglotherf modified forms thereof; and i a portion of a wheel i arrangement holds the hub and rim in symmetri rubbertire 3 thereon,forming the tread surface of the wheel, but any suitable or desired tread i may be used with myspring wheel, it being un necessary to' providefa pneumatic tire therefor.

In this invention, the hub; I and rim 2 areconnected together through coiledsprings t, two

sets of which are shown in Fig. 2', the sets of springs convergingtoward the periphery of the wheel, both sets being inclined as shown in Fig. 2, although one set may extend directly radially as shown in Fig. '7, while the otherset converges relative thereto, Inthe form shown-in Fig.2,

the load is taken uniformly on both sets of springs; while most off-the load is taken on the radial set ofsprings in the modified form shown in Fig. 7, the outer connection then functioning to guide or stabilize'the rim. In place of coiled springs formingsuch stabilizing connections, the latter maybe rigid with connections to the rim and hub that would permit of relative yielding therebetween, as-shown in Fig. 7. e

The springs of the respective sets are staggered relative to each other at the points where they are joined respectively to the hub and rim. Each .01 the springs is inserted under compression,

being contracted about one-sixth in normal size so as to exert a yieldingepressure, againstthe rim and hub while allowing for further compression during operation of the wheel. This cal" relation with each other and yet allows the desired yieldability in the wheel.

i ofyjoining each spring 4 tothe hub and rim re-v spectively. This form of connection is particuthere- I, have shown in Fig. 3, the preferred manner larly' desirable, inasmuch as it securely anehors the spring tothe respective parts lot the wheel while it also permitsready assembly thereoiifj V The hub connection utilizes a stud 5 which is inserted'through an orifice 6 in the huh I, being loose therein, but the periphery of the stud 15 at" i the outer end thereof is provided with a spiral groove! forming a screw-thread thereon to receive the convolutions of the coiled spring .4 at the inner end. This thread I is so iormed that it will draw the convolutions of the spring to; l l gether into abutting relation, and thus forma rigid connection between thespring and the stud stud.

. tapering wall ll.

5. A countersink 8 is formed in the hub I to receive the inner end of the spring around the At the outer end of the spring, the rim 2 is formed with a keystone-shaped portion somewhat frustro-conicaLwith inwardly converging or tapering sides II. The sides II have a peripheral groove l2 therein adjacent the outer end of the projecting portion In to receive the end convolution of the spring, while said end portion of the spring is confined by the walls ll. A stud I3 is secured in the outer end of the conical portion Ill, being shown as screw-threaded thereinat [4. The periphery of the inner end portion of the stud L3 is formed with a helical groove I5 that forms a thread to receive the convolutions of the outer end of the spring. The diameter ing means shown in Fig. 3, eachspring is insertedin its proper position between the hub and rim, being contracted to the desired extent so as to be.- placed under compression and thereby impart radial push therebetween. The opposite ends of the spring 4 are inserted respectively in the countersink 8 and the recess formed by the Then the stud 5' is inserted through the orifice 6 and turned in screw fashion into the inner end of the spring 4, drawing the convolutions of the spring directly together into rigid relationship with the stud 5. A lock nut 9 is then applied to the inner end of the stud 5, anchoring the latter securely to the hub.

In like manner, the outer end of the spring is secured to the rim 2. The stud I3 is inserted into the portion M of the rim with the thread I5 turning into the convolutions of the spring anddrawing them together in side-by-side relation while expanding these convolutions laterally into secure engagement with the converging walls H of the portion H), the end convolution being anchored in the annular groove [2 of said. portion. When the stud I3 is thus inserted by a turning motion, it also has a threaded connection at M with said portion of the rim and is thereby securely anchored thereto, thus holding the spring radially to the rimagainst danger of being pulled out in service.

Each of the springs is thus applied and secured in place and when the desired number are applied, these will effectively equalize and stabilize the wheel and rim relative to each other, holding them in their proper assembled relation.

In the form shown in Fi i, the rim 2a is provided with a cylindrical inwardly extending sleeve Illa which receives the outer end portion of the coiled springs to. A stud l3a is threaded in the rimand has a peripheral thread groove lila on the inner portion thereof within the cylindrical Fig. 3,, thus spreading the outer end of the spring 4b and utilizing the tapered portion of the sleeve to prevent the spring from being pulled out, off the stud.

Still another form is shown of Fig. 6, in which the rim 20 has a sleeve portion we thereon to receive the outer end portion of the coiled spring 40. A stud I3c is 'inserted into the end of the spring, contracting the convolutions into abutting relation, and holding the spring against displacement by the cooperating thread grooves thus formed between the stud and sleeve. The stud is anchored in place by a set screw l9 which is threaded into a recess formed partially in the stud and partially in the sleeve lflc.

It will .be evident in these forms, that the stud may be secured rigidly in the rim, after which the spring may be secured thereto by rotating the spring in screw-fashion and thereby thread ing it onto the stud, thus anchoring the outer end of the spring securely in place. Each of the springs may thus be fastened to the rim, after which the inner ends thereof are secured to the hub by the insertion of the studs, such for instance, as those shown at 5 in Fig. 3.

I claim:

1. A spring wheel comprising a hub, a rim, and coiled expansion springs connecting the hub and rim together, said springs being under compression with the convolutions thereof spaced apart throughout the major portion of the length thereof and exerting expansive action on the rim and hub, the outer and inner ends of the springs being spaced apart axially of the Wheel at the rim and hub respectively, and studs rigidly connected respectively to the hub and rim and extending into the respective ends of each coiled spring, each of said studs having a peripheral thread groove .inte'rfitting with the convolutions of the spring and securely anchoring the same thereto. f

2. A spring wheel comprising a hub, arim, and coiled expansion springs connecting the hub and rim together, said springs being under compression with the convolutions thereof spaced apart throughout the major portion of the length thereof and exerting expansive action on the rim and .hub, the outer and inner ends of the springs beingspacedj apart axially of the wheel at the rim and hub respectively, studs rigidly connected respectively to the hub and rim and extending into the respective ends of eachcoiled spring, each of said studs having a peripheral thread groove interfittin'g withthe convolutions of the spring and securely anchoring the same thereto, said thread groove having a pitch constructed to draw the convolutions of the spring directly together in side-by-side abutting relation, and means surrounding the end portion of the spring to hold the same inhonnected position on each stud.

3. In a springwheel havin a coiled spring interposed between the hub and rim, a lock for said spring comprising a sleeve portion receiving an end portion of the spring and having surrounding wallsnconvergingtoward the opposite endot the spring, said surrounding walls having a groove therein to receive the end convolutions of. the spring, and a stud extending into the said end of the spring and having a surrounding thread grooveinterfitting with the convolutions of the spring andof conical shape to expand said end of the spring into locked relation with the tapering Walls and groove.

4. A spring wheel comprising inner and'outer annular members, and coiled springs connecting said inner and outerv annularmembers together,

and means connecting said springs with the inner and outer annular members, said connecting means including a conical member having a peripheral thread groove interfitting with the convolutions of the spring atan end thereof, said groove being constructed to spread radially the convolutions adjacent the end of the spring.

5. A spring wheel comprising inner and outer annular members, and coiled springs connecting said inner and outer annular members together,

i and means connecting said springs with the inner a groove being constructed to spread radially the convolutions adjacent the end of the spring, and a sleeve surrounding said threaded member and holding the convolutions of the spring seated in.

the groove.

JOSEPH STARNENO.

and outer annular members, said connecting 

